


You Died...

by TribalMoogle



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 22:09:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12921240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TribalMoogle/pseuds/TribalMoogle
Summary: He's saved you many times, can you save him?





	You Died...

Screeching tires. The smell of burnt rubber. The distant smell of smoke. A ringing in your ears. Burning throat from your screams you can’t even hear. _Is this really happening? Gladio had just wanted to take you out for a drive. How could something like this happen? ___

____

____

You raise your head slowly. You call his name. Frantically you scan the grassy area. Finally, you spot him. He doesn’t move. You can see the blood pooling around his midsection. There’s no time. You command your legs to stand, though one is badly broken. You shuffle forward, agonizingly slow. Tears stream down your face. They fall to your lips and you get a taste of salty iron. You must be bleeding. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is you get to him. He’s protected you all these years, now it’s your turn.

Each step hurts, but not nearly as much as your heart. You see his fingers flinch. There might still be time. Your heart skips and you trip on a stone, tumbling to the ground. Only a few feet separates the two of you, but you can’t get up. 

“Gladio, please…” you strain as you army crawl to him. Shards of glass nip at your skin, but you press on. Finally, you reach him. Lacerations from the glass cover his cheeks. His arm contorts in a strange way. His legs seems alright, but under his leather jacket blood engulfs his tattoo. 

You find the source. A deep cut on his abdomen. One of the worst spots. If only you can stop the bleeding, then maybe, just maybe… 

You rip off fabric from your shirt and tie it around his midsection in a hasty tourniquet. You pull him into your lap, a mighty feat, and apply pressure to the would with your right hand while stroking his cheek with your left.

“Come on. Stay with me.” His brow furrows, he slowly regains consciousness. His eyes glassy with blood loss. He looks around, dazed, until his eyes finally meet yours. He whispers your name as a smile creeps on his face. You return it briefly before he adopts a regrettable look.

“I’m sorry.” He weakly offers. 

“It’s fine, you’re gonna be fine, we can fix this.” Your voice comes hurried and erratic. Adrenaline and anxiety toying with your emotions. 

He turns his head toward your hand and kisses your thumb. You collapse on top of him, cradling his head. Your tears and sobs drown out everything around you. Everything except one word from him. “Goodbye.”

You jerk up to see his eyes close as a deep exhale pours from his lips. 

“What?! No! NO! Gladio! Please! Come back!” Your training takes over and you hastily feel for a pulse. None. Nothing. No breath. No life. He’s gone. For a moment, there’s silence. Then, a scream emits from you that’s pure agonizing pain.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You jolt upright. Scream catching in your throat. Your breath races and your heart erratically shutters. Darkness. Everywhere darkness. _Have I died? _You take a few deep breaths to process. You realize you’re in bed. Not your bed. Gladio’s bed. _Gladio.___

_____ _

_____ _

The images come back to you in flashes. You relive it all over again. The pain, the anguish. _Was it real? _You clamber out of bed to see for yourself, dreading what you may find.__

____

____

You make your way down the hall. _Please let it have been a dream. Please. _You slowly tread into the living room. One the back of the couch is his jacket, neatly laid out. You take it greedily, inhaling his masculine scent. It seems recently worn, but was it? Your hand plays with the material when you notice something. Something red. Dried blood. _No. No! It couldn’t have really happened! _____

_____ _

_____ _

You collapse to the ground clutching the jacket. You sob into the garment wishing that someone would save you from your grief, but knowing nobody will. Gladio’s gone. You lay there for gods know how long, before you finally pass out from exhaustion. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You slowly start to wake up. A comforting couch beneath you. _How did I get here? _Your mind is not ready to wake. You know the moment you open your eyes you’ll have to face the truth. You’d rather live in this fantasy. You swear you can still feel him. His strong yet soft grip holding your hand. His hot breath on your neck as he rests his head against yours.__

____

____

The sensations feel so real. You both revel and grieve in it. You can feel tears streaming down your cheeks once more. You’re on the verge of losing it all again. You don’t want to face it. 

Suddenly, a tear is wiped away. A soft, stubbly kiss goes to where it fell. There’s no denying the touch. It’s Gladio. Your eyes fly open and see the man kneeling beside you, clutching your hand, utterly distressed. 

At first you can’t speak. _Am I awake or in a dream? Does it matter? As long as he’s here… _He watches you cautiously and waits for you to act. You can’t take it anymore. Tears spray forth and you crack.__

____

____

“Gladio!” You lunge at him and he cradles you in his embrace. Hot tears soak his muscle shirt. 

“It’s alright babe, I’m right here.” You paw at his neck and shirt, letting every bit of frustration out. Your body starts to go limp from the exertion. You feel yourself being lifted. One arm around your back while the other lifts your legs. 

You don’t know where he’s bringing you and you don’t care. You feel him sit and realize he’s placed himself on the couch with you nestled in his lap. He silently lets you ride out your breakdown, rubbing your back to console you. 

As your breathing stabilizes, he brings a hand to your face and strokes your cheek. You fall into his touch and kiss his collar bone that your lips have stumbled against. You rest your head comfortably against his evenly breathing chest. You nearly fall back asleep when you hear a catch in his throat. 

“What happened?” You close your eyes momentarily and the scene plays out before you. You shake the images from your head and bury your face into his chest. He strokes your hair, waiting for you to tell him on your own time.

“You… died…” You pull your face up and lock eyes with him. Deep amber peers into your soul and confirms that it was all a dream. A mischievous glint sparkles as he leans down to kiss you. It’s soft and tender but grows forceful and angry. You reciprocate with all your pent up anxiety before he finally pulls away.

He tucks a piece of hair behind your ear and smiles. “I can’t die, remember? You said you’d kill me if I did.” Unexpected laughter erupts from deep inside you, startling you, but you can’t contain it. He smirks as he watches his comment evoke the desired reaction.

You’d said it so many times before, usually when you were angry at him leaving on a dangerous mission. Over time, the undertones of what you really meant came through and Gladio would whisper it every time in response as he left. _Love you too. ___

____

____

“I love you too.” You cooed to him. Now it was his time to crack. A pained smile works its way across his face. He bear hugs you desperately. 

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” He growls into your ear. An empty threat, but the tear you feel sliding down his cheek tells you that he really means it. 

You were so preoccupied with your own grief that you never even thought about what losing you would mean to him. Perhaps you were a bit codependent. So what? You have him and that’s all you need.

“I’m sorry.” You whisper back into his neck. He pulls back and looks intensely at you. 

A wolffish grin slices his face. “The shit you put me through…”

You grin to match his. “Right back atcha.” You both smile warmly. You pull him in for a tender kiss, then retreat to your resting place on his chest. You stroke his forearm with your thumb while he plays with your hair. 

A peace and tranquility you never thought you’d have again rushes over you as you both slowly fall asleep.


End file.
